This invention relates to an apparatus for attaching a pin for tags to articles (mainly merchandise) by a simple operation.
A pin for tag attachment (hereinafter referred to tag pin) and an attaching apparatus therefor are, for example, known such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,666. The tag pin in that Patent is formed integrally from synthetic resin having molecular orientation properties similar to nylon, etc. and it has a head portion, a transverse bar portion and a filament portion interconnecting the intermediate points of these portions and has an H-shape as a whole.
The apparatus according to the U.S. patent for attaching a tag comprises, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 thereof, a cutter, a feeding mechanism, and various levers and pins etc. for driving these members, and has considerably complicated construction.
Moreover, the apparatus for attaching a tag shown in the U.S. Patent is very difficult to operate, and when in the case the body and lever portion are gripped, a range of angle of the needle tip in which a needle attached at the forward end of the body can be directed to an article is only about 90.degree. from the horizontal. Also, since the rod for pushing the transverse bar of the tag pin is constructed so as to be directly driven by the lever, there is a drawback in that its movement is not smooth.
Pistol type apparatuses for attaching tag pins have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,451 and Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 13056/71. These pistol type apparatuses are constructed such that the levers are arranged in a two-step fashion where one of the levers is movably biased by means of a spring so that the rod for pushing the transverse bar out of the needle tip is driven by this lever. This pistol type apparatus is easy to hold and sufficiently operative even if the needle is moved through 180.degree. from top to bottom.
However, in order to obtain a superior function, the apparatus becomes inevitably large and requires many parts, with the result being increased production cost.